Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with polymorphic expression. B cells have an essential contribution in immune system activation via the production of different cytokines and functioning as potent antigen-presenting cells. Therefore, a drug that particularly targets B cells may represent an ideal therapeutic approach for SLE. Rituximab (RTX), an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody causing transient B-cell depletion, has been used to manage SLE. This study aims to assess Rituximab effects on lupus nephritis (LN) patients when added to conventional immunosuppressants. Twenty four patients, 15-32 years old, with class III/IV/V LN were involved in this study. All were on steroids before lupus nephritis occurrence. They were given rituximab induction therapy and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) maintenance therapy. RTX was indicated for refractory and relapsing SLE. Several investigations done before and after RTX treatment and in the last follow up (done one year after starting Rituximab). Those included protein in urine, serum creatinine, double stranded DNA, C3, C4, and Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR). Proteinuria decreased significantly after RTX treatment and in the last measurement (P=0.01 and P=0.001, respectively). Serum creatinine significantly decreased only in the last measurement (P=0.02). Double stranded DNA decreased remarkably after treatment (P=0.01) with a further decrease in the last measurement (P=0.006). C3 and C4 increased after treatment but the increase was significant only for C3 (P=0.002) and this increase continues till the last measurement (P=0.0006). Active urine sediments found in fifteen patients and disappeared after RTX treatment. Rituximab can be promising in treating lupus nephritis when used along with traditional immunosuppressants. It can reduce disease activity and improve renal function in such patients.
A phytoremediation experiment was carried out with kerosene as a model for total petroleum hydrocarbons. A constructed wetland of barley was exposed to kerosene pollutants at varying concentrations (1, 2, and 3% v/v) in a subsurface flow (SSF) system. After a period of 42 days of exposure, it was found that the average ability to eliminate kerosene ranged from 56.5% to 61.2%, with the highest removal obtained at a kerosene concentration of 1% v/v. The analysis of kerosene at varying initial concentrations allowed the kinetics of kerosene to be fitted with the Grau model, which was closer than that with the zero order, first order, or second order kinetic models. The experimental study showed that the barley plant designed in a subsu
... Show MoreThis study been conducted and applied in Alrashed Health Center/Mahmodia Sector/ kerigh Sector/Ministry of Health/Baghdad City, and conducted on samples of women who are suffering from iron deficiency (Hemoglobin%) in blood for the year 2013. Fifty women been selected (married, unmarried), their ages ranging between 19-40 years old, they been given dried grinding spinach tablet. The dose been given was 3 tablet/day/4-6 weeks, after taken the percentage of Hemoglobin and Uric acid for all studied samples before and after dried spinach tablet given. It was appeared from samples analysis primarily and statically for 50 women, that 4% upon them only suffering high Iron deficiency (8.0-9.9 mg/100ml), 38% upon them suffering from middle iron def
... Show MoreThe affliction is a remaining year and not a past incident, and the most evil people are the prophets - peace and blessings be upon them - and the most severe is the Imam of the Prophets Muhammad - may God bless him and grant him peace - because they are exposed to harm from their people because of their call to a religion that violates the religion of parents and grandparents, the religion of injustice and injustice And polytheism and disbelief, and therefore the Qur'an had attitudes towards the entertainment of the people of affliction in general and our beloved - peace be upon him - in particular, this research came about the entertainment of the Qur’an for the Prophet - may God bless him and grant him peace - and many areas of ente
... Show MoreNonlinear diffraction pattern can be induced by focusing CW
laser into a thin quartzes cuvette containing nanofluid. The number
of revealed pattern rings indicates to the nonlinear behavior of fluid.
Here, the nonlinear refractive index of each of functionalized single
wall carbon nanotube (F-SWCNTs) suspention and multi wall carbon
nanotube (F-MWCNTs) suspention have been investigated
experimentally .Each of CNTs suspention was at volume fraction of
13×10−5 and 6×10−5. Moreover the laser source at wavelength of
473 nm was used. The results show that SWCNTs suspention
possesses higher nonlinearty than other at the same volume fraction
Surface electromyography (sEMG) and accelerometer (Acc) signals play crucial roles in controlling prosthetic and upper limb orthotic devices, as well as in assessing electrical muscle activity for various biomedical engineering and rehabilitation applications. In this study, an advanced discrimination system is proposed for the identification of seven distinct shoulder girdle motions, aimed at improving prosthesis control. Feature extraction from Time-Dependent Power Spectrum Descriptors (TDPSD) is employed to enhance motion recognition. Subsequently, the Spectral Regression (SR) method is utilized to reduce the dimensionality of the extracted features. A comparative analysis is conducted between the Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) class
... Show MoreThis research seeks to shed light on what you add intangible assets of benefit to the company and this antagonize pause for consideration because it makes the company in a good competitive position stimulates the rest of the companies to acquire those assets.
That many companies have achieved competitive advantages in the market do not even achieved monopolies increased the value and reaped extraordinary profits as a result of those assets which requires the need to be measured to determine the extent to which contribution in the emergence of the value added to the value of the company on the one hand and to make the presentatio
... Show Moret: - Sports training in itself is a means, not an end. It is the core process that involves using exercises to provide an opportunity for athletes to perform their duties with the highest level of efficiency by developing and enhancing their capabilities and potential, using them to gain the greatest benefit for themselves and, consequently, for their team. This requires the selection of various methods and different means of training, focusing on specific physical and skill-related aspects. Therefore, training plans should take into account individual differences between players. Many researchers and experts in the field of sports in general, and combat sports in particular, emphasize the importance of having a holistic approach in the tra
... Show MoreComplexes of 1-phenyl-3-(2(-5-(phenyl amino)-1,3,4- thiadiazole-2-yl)phenyl) thiourea have been prepared and characteized by elemental analysis, Ff-[R, and u.v./ visible spectra moreover, determination of metal content M%o by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy, molar conductance in DMSO solution and magnetic moments (peffl. The result showed that the ligand (L) was coordinated to Mn*2, Ni*2, Ct*2,2n*2,Cd*2, and Hg*2 ions through the nitrogen atoms and sulpher atoms. From the result obtained, rhe following general formula [MLClz] has been given for the prepared complexes with an octahedral geometry around the metal ions for all complexes. where M= Mn*2, Ni*2, cu*2, zn*z, cd*z, and Hg*2 l= l-phenyl-3-(2-(5-(phenyl amino)-1, 3,
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